Textile handling



Oct. 9, 1951 s N r 2,570,877

TEXTILE HANDLING Filed March 25, 1947 6'Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 9, 1951 I $P|NELL| 2,570,877

TEXTILE HANDLING Filed March 25, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 9, 195'] Y L. SPINELLI TEXTILE HANDLING 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 25, 1947 BMEM 0a. 9, 1951 I r L, SPINELU 2,570,877 1 TEXTILE HANDLING Filed March 25, 1947 e Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 9, 1951 r L. SPINELLI 2,570,877

TEXTILE HANDLING Filed March 25, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lou/ 5 S meup L. SPIN ELL] TEXTILE HANDLING Oct. 9, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 25, 1947 Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Claims. 1

My invention relates to textile handling and more particularly to a cloth laying machine and method for facilitating and laying cloth or the like in screen printing.

In screen printing of cloth or the like, a plurality of relatively long tables are disposed in spaced parallelism and provided on one side of each table with a lengthwise extending rail projecting above the surface of the table and equipped with a plurality of spaced stops or guides for engaging and positioning a printing frame, which is disposed over cloth laid on the table, for printing a design on the cloth. Heretofore, the cloth was laid over padding secured to the top surfaces of the tables and manually smoothed thereover to eliminate wrinkles and creases and then fastened to padding by a multiplicity of pins applied through the margins of the cloth. Upon printing of the cloth, the pins were removed and the cloth raised above the tables for drying of the printing in the usual manner. Obviously, this method of applying the cloth to the table necessitated considerable labor and expense especially with respect to the activity required in the elimination of wrinkles and creases and accuracy of aligmnent during laying.

My invention overcomes the foregoing difiiculties and disadvantages, it being one of the objects thereof to provide means for expeditiously laying or applying the cloth to the table in a manner to preclude wrinkling and creasing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cloth laying or applying machine which functions in conjunction with the printing rail of the table to effect accurate laying of the cloth.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the foregoing described character which is so constructed and arranged whereby the machine may be easily shifted from one table to another for expediting the application of cloth to a plurality of tables. I

A still further object of my invention is to provide, in conjunction with the cloth laying machine, means for shifting the machine from one table to another in an expeditious manner.

An important object of my invention is to provide means for shifting the machine which is so constructed and arranged as to insure proper positioning of the machine with respect to the table, thus permitting accurate laying of the cloth.

A special object of my invention is to provide a method whereby cloth may be expeditiously applied to the surface of a table in a minimum of time and with an appreciable reduction in labor and expense.

Another special object of my invention is to provide means of the foregoing described character which is simple in construction, durable in use, efiicient in operation, economical in manufacture and which lends itself to high production methods.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views: 7

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my cloth laying machine and illustrating the same in operating position on a printing table.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one end of a printing table having one of the dollies connected thereto and from which the cloth laying machine has been shifted onto the table.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of the cloth laying machine illustrating the same in operating position on a portion of one of the tables, the latter being shown in section.

Figure i is a side elevation of the machine mounted on one of the dollies with the latter connected to an end of one of the tables.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the machine in operating position on one of the tables.

Figure 6 is an end elevation, partly in section, of one of the guide roller assemblies.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line il of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the table arrangement and steps in the shifting of the dollies.

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 5 but illustrating a modified form of the machine.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line l8lll of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an end elevation of a modified form of guide roller assembly.

In practicing my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, I employ a quaternary of relatively long printing tables, I 0, II, I2 and I3, respectively, of ordinary construction, disposed in parallel side by side spaced relation with each of the tables being provided on one side with a longitudinally extending printing frame guide or rail Id. The rail is L-shaped and is equipped with a plurality of spaced stops [5 on its vertical flange for coaction with a printing frame to effect proper positioning of the latter over the cloth to be printed. The top of the table is provided with a padding which includes an outer layer of suitable fabric [6 or the like on which a length of the cloth I! to be printed is laid thereover and secured thereon against displacement by any suitable'means, for instance, by pins applied through the cloth'and the outer layer [B of the padding in the usual manner.

In order to expedite the laying of the cloth I], I provide a cloth applying or laying machinelfi for detachable mounting upon a pair of dollies I53 and 2G for disposition in proximitylto'opposite coincident ends of the tables, respectively Each dolly comprises a quaternary of legs having their lower ends equipped with swivelled rollers or casters and their upper ends secured to a platform 2 I Onesideof the platform 2 l. isprovided with a rail 22 similar to the rail l' i'of the table and with the endsof the rail 22 havingpivoted thereto a bridge member or latch 23 forengagement with the end of the rail Hi 'of a table for attaching the dolly thereto whereby the machine I8 may be shifted from either the dolly or table, as the case may be, for operations hereinafter more fully described. V I

The machine comprises a frame having end and side members 2 3 and 25 respectively, and

.a pair of relatively large cloth applying rollers 26 disposed within the confines of the frame and which are provided with trunnions journaled in bearings 21 depending from the side frame members 25 whereby the frame issupported by the rollers. The side frame members 25 have connected thereto upwardly extending standards 28 equippedon'their upper endswith open bearings 29 formed with inverted v shaped slots having rollerslextending therein on which wereceived the ends of a mountingshaft 3 8 on which is mounted a roll of thecloth l'lto be printed. A pair of spaced armsBl extend outwardly from the standardsv 28 and-each has journaled in its outer end atrunnion 32 of a bearing plate 33 in which is rotatabl journaled coincident ends of a pair of spaced tension rods or rollers 34 between which is,v trained the free or leading end section ,itfipf the cloth, the latter extending under the rollers 26.. Theouter ends of the arms areeach bifurcated and provided with a clamping screw and wing .nut to clamp the respective trunnion 32 to its arm whereby the ,plates'33 and ro1lers34 are ,securedin, adjusted position, relative to the arms, to maintain a desired tension on the cloth.v v, l

The inner ends of the arms/3| are pivoted to the standards, subjacentvthe bearings 29, and are engaged by blocks 35 slidablymounted thereunder on the standards and which engage the inner end sections of the armsto maintain the arms in. raised, position above ,the frame. Subjacent the blocks 36, the standards are provided with plates 31 fixed thereto and spaced from the blocks and which plates have threaded therein adjusting screws 38 engaging the blocks 35 and operable for raising and lowering the arms whereby the outer ends ofsthe arms 3! may be adjusted relative to each other for insuring proper guiding of the free end of the cloth, from the roll, to the initially receiving roller 2$ and thus parallel the side margin of the cloth with the rail I l for a purpose hereinafter more fully understood. 7 I,

, To effect accurate guiding of themachine over the table, the under face of one side of the frame, at each end thereof, has secured thereto a guide roller assembly comprising a pair of depending integral inner and outer bearing sleeves 39 and. 40 in which are slidably mounted the upper ends of inner and outer shafts ll and 42 respectively, springs 43 being incorporated within the bore of each of the sleeves 39 and interposed between the under face of the frame and the .top of the respective shaft 4! for urging the latter downwardly. Each pair of the inner Land outer shafts M and 42 are connected together as at M to effect unitary reciprocation thereof in the sleeves 39 and 49. The lower ends rofgthe shafts 4| and 42 have mounted thereon 15, inner andputer rollers 45 and 46 for engaging the'side faces of the vertical flanges of the rails Itand 22 respectively, whereby the machine is guided over the table or on or off of one of the dollies. The lower endof each of the inner shafts ilfis bifurcated and has mounted therein a roller 57 for tracking engagement with the horizontal flanges of the rails l4 and 22 on the table anddollies to maintain the rollers 45 and 35, whenon therail, l4, out 'of engagement with the horizontalfiange andbelow the stops l5 onthe vertical flangevat all times and thus preclude engagement of the rollers 45 and 46 with the stops I5 in the event that thef'padding, on the particular table, ,beof athickness or comlpre'ssibility 'to eifectvertical movement of the frame relative touthe, rail L4,, by the rollers 25. Each of the inner bearing sleeves 321s provided ,withlanaxiallvextendingslot 4 8 through which extends a guide vpin #39 carried by the respective Qinnershaft 4! whereby to'rnai'ntain' the upper end of the shaft in the sleeve, limit Vertical movement .'of the latter 'andl tofpreclude,rotation relative. to Qthe ."sleeve, it beingnnders'tood that inasmuch 7 as the a djacent outerlshaft 52 is connected to the 40. inner. shaft lli'asil'atfMfthe movement of said outer shaft willbe likewise limited. 7

Inasmuch'aslthefiplatforrriof either "or both of f thedojlli'es may, Tin'someinstances, be, either, higher or lower thanthe table,l the relative. heightof the horizontal flanges of their rails will likewise vary thereby. establishing. an abutment. at'i the jo i nt ire of a dolly and Ja";tab1e' and ,which. would engage the rollers andte uponshifting of the ;.machine.from the lower ,to highen horizontal flanges. In order 'to @overco'inethis difiiculty, the lower end sections of theIinner'sha'fts' .2 l' are each provided with oppositely extending guide plates 50 for paralleling the'vert'i'cal flanges fof the rails and with" each formed at its 'outer" end: with an inwardly. anddovvnwa'r iIy inclined camfface 5 I for engaging theifh'igh'er fliorizorit'al "flange during fshifting of thm'ach ineand thereby effect raisin oftheparticular ,cornei Qfthe, machine afsuficient distafnce'ito permit thefa'dja'cent 'roller' 4'! to 0 be shifted overthe abutment anw'engage the higherhorizontal fiange'lfor tracking therewith. n order; to fpreclude accidental shifting of the s machine from 01T fof either, offthe' 'dolliesj latch mechanism is provided whereinieach'dolly bassecured to a side, face thereof a keeper. ,fi2 provided at its. upper end with a iaer'auy disposed flange forrnedwith a slot which 'receivesthe' qwer' "end of a latch'bar 53 -the upperend of' 'thel'at'ch'bar being pivotly connected to afbraclilet 5 l"'secured 70. tothe side offthelrnachine. The name of, the machine, adjacent thela'tc'h bar, has connected thereto one end orasprmgiasg 'the' oppos'ite' end of which is connected to'the ]atchbariyvhrebythe spring functions to urge "the nteHQbar'wWardS the machine and thus maintains 'tl'idatclfb'ar in the slot o the, keepe the outer end of the latch bar outwardly, against ,the tension of the spring, it is released from the r2 Obv sl by mo keeper and permits shifting of the machine onto the table. I

In operation-assuming the machine is posi- 2 tioned on the dolly is with a roll of cloth mounted thereon and having its free end trained under the rollers 26 and with the dolly IS being secured to the end of the table II] by the latch 23 connecting the rails together-the machine is shifted from the dolly I9 onto the table II] and operated over the surface thereof. As the machine is thus operated, the cloth is unwound from the roll and accurately and smoothly laid over the surface. Either previous or subsequent'to the foregoing operation, the dolly ZIJh'as been connected to the opposite end of the table II] and thus receives the machine thereon whereupon the cloth is transversely severed to permit the cloth on the table to be secured to the latter as desired. When the machine has thus been shifted onto the dolly 2|] the latter is disconnected from the table III and operated over the floor in a manner to permit the rail of the dolly 20 to' be connected to the rail of the adjacent table II by the latch 23,'for instance, by rotating the dolly 180 as indicated by dotted lines 56 in Figure 8. When the dolly 20 is thus connected to the table I I and the, dolly I9 disconnected and moved from the table II into connected relation with the table I I, as indicated by the dotted lines 51, the machine is then operated over the table II and onto the dolly I9, whereupon the latter is moved into connected relation with the table I2 over the path indicated by the dotted lines 58 while the empty dolly I9 is shifted from the table I I to the table I2 over the path 59. The machine is then operated over tables I2 and I3 in the same manner as set forth in connection with tables l0 and II, the dollies being shifted accordingly. When the machine has been operated over table I3 and onto dolly I9, the latter and the empty dolly 20 are then disconnected from the ends of the table I3 and shifted into connected relation with coincident ends of the table II) over the paths 60 and GI whereby another cycle of the foregoing operations is had to again lay cloth on the tables I I to I3 inclusive, it being understood that the lengths of cloth operated upon or treated are removed from the tables to permit other lengths of cloth to be laid over the surfaces of the tables. At the start of each cloth laying operation, the free end of the cloth is secured to the particular table upon shifting of the machine from the dolly onto the table and, upon termination of each cloth laying operation and shifting of the machine onto a dolly, the cloth is transversely severed to permit the end severed from the roll to be secured to the table and shifting of the dolly and machine away from the table.

In instances where the space at the ends of the tables is of a limited nature to preclude rotation of the dollies 180, each dolly may be laterally shifted to the coincident end of the adjacent table and the arms 3| rotated about their pivots to position the tensioning rollers 35 on the opposite side of the roll of cloth as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 4, the free end of the cloth being trained between the rollers 34 and under the rollers 26 in the opposite direction to permit the machine to be reversely operated. Inasmuch as the rails Id of the tables are not always arranged on coincident sides, the opposite side of the machine, in these instances, is also provided with guide roller as semblies as'indicated in dotted lines in Figure .10. Furthermore, as illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, the frame may be equipped with supporting brackets III on which is mounted an open top box II which accommodates a bolt of cloth I2 having horizontally disposed con nected sections, in lieu of the roll I'I, thus permitting cloth from a bolt to be withdrawn from the box and laid on the table as will be apparent from Figure 9.

As illustrated in Figure 11, when the tables and dollies are of a uniform height, the guide rollers so may be provided with non-adjustable vertical shafts BI and connected together in pairs by means of a tie-rod 82 which in turn is connected to the frame of the machine.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the invention that others may,

by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefore as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it is adaptable. 1t is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction as illustrated and described, as the same is only illustrative of the principles involved which are capable of extended application in various forms, and the invention comprehenos all construction within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. lhe metnod of laying cloth on a plurality of parallel spaced printing tables by means of a cloth laying machine comprismg, the steps of arranging a carrier on which the machine is mounted at one end of one of said tables, shifting the machine from the carrier onto the table and operating the same over the table to lay a length of cloth thereover, shifting the machine from said table onto another carrier at the opposite end of the table, positioning said last mentioned carrier ad acent the coincident end of an adjacent table, shifting the machine from the last mentioned carrier onto said table and operating the same tnereover to lay the cloth thereon, positioning said first-mentioned carrier ad acent the coincident end of said second mentioned table and of shifting said machine thereon, for operation thereover, and transversely severing said cloth upon shifting of the machine onto a carrier.

2. The method or laying cloth on a plurality of parallel spaced printing tables by means of a cloth laying machine comprising, arranging a pair of carriers at opposite ends respectively of one of said tables, progressively shifting the carriers to positions adjacent coincident ends of adjacent tables, and meanwhile, shifting the machine from one carrier onto another and over a table therebetween to lay cloth thereon, and transversely severing the cloth upon shifting of the machine onto a carrier.

3. In an apparatus for laying cloth on a table equipped with a guide rail, a frame, supporting rollers rotatably mounted on said frame for supporting the latter and feeding cloth onto the table, guide means carried by said frame for coaction with the rail to guide said rollers 

